Achieving deep DOF , can it be done indoors?

V

vision_filmz

Carbonite Member
I was practicing on doing an interview today and even at around f/5.6-7 there was still some Shallow DOF in the background with some grain... So my question is this, at what Aperture and Focal Length do I need to be to get a deep DOF indoors?

Thanks
 
* if you have your type of shot decided ("this is going to be a close-up"), focal length doesn't affect DoF, but it affects perspective and therefore how you perceive DoF; wider lenses will make the background seem farther away (yes, obvious, sorry) and also more in-focus (or should I say "recognizeable")
http://www.similaar.com/foto/tuten/320.html
but depending on what you're shooting you may not want to go too wide
http://stepheneastwood.com/tutorials/Tutorials_Lens_Perspective.htm

* what helps a lot is going for wider shots: it will be basically impossible to get deep DoF on a close-up, but with the same camera, lens and aperture, just getting farther away, a medium or wide shot can easily have deep DoF
24mm f/5.6 from 1m, DoF 30cm: http://www.similaar.com/foto/dof/dof.php?f_x=1.6&f_r=2.4&f_mm=24&f_f=5.6&f_d=1
24mm f/5.6 from 2.5m, DoF 2.2m http://www.similaar.com/foto/dof/dof.php?f_x=1.6&f_r=2.4&f_mm=24&f_f=5.6&f_d=2.5
this works both by going for a wider lens (and not getting any closer) or by getting farther away (with the same focal length)
(but giver the first point maybe going for a wider lens will help more; you can just run some tests at home)

you may like my simplified DoF calculator:
http://www.similaar.com/foto/dof/dof2.php
 
vision_filmz said:
I was practicing on doing an interview today and even at around f/5.6-7 there was still some Shallow DOF in the background with some grain... So my question is this, at what Aperture and Focal Length do I need to be to get a deep DOF indoors?
Click to expand...

If you want deep DOF indoors, that's a perfect time for a small sensor camera. My Vixia HF100 works great for that.
 
Kin Lau said:
If you want deep DOF indoors, that's a perfect time for a small sensor camera. My Vixia HF100 works great for that.
Click to expand...

I love my Canon 60d, but sometimes I do not want the shallow dof and no matter what I tried there was always something soft in the background. Working on Music Videos I never cared and preferred the look, but for indoor interview I want the image to be really sharp and everything in focus. I need to look into getting a second camera...........
 
The smaller the aperture, the deeper the focus. To achieve this, you need more light... much more light. But before you burn the house down with 150k of support, compromise between adding more light and, as has been suggested, shooting with a wider lens.
 
vision_filmz said:
I love my Canon 60d, but sometimes I do not want the shallow dof and no matter what I tried there was always something soft in the background. Working on Music Videos I never cared and preferred the look, but for indoor interview I want the image to be really sharp and everything in focus. I need to look into getting a second camera...........
Click to expand...

Do you _really_ want the BG to be sharp? I often find something in the BG distracting or ugly, unless you're going for that "news" look.
 
vision_filmz said:
I love my Canon 60d, but sometimes I do not want the shallow dof and no matter what I tried there was always something soft in the background. Working on Music Videos I never cared and preferred the look, but for indoor interview I want the image to be really sharp and everything in focus. I need to look into getting a second camera...........
Click to expand...

Small sensor cameras are great in this respect so consider something with a 1/3 or 1/2 inch chip.

That said, I can't share your enthusiasm for a deep focus on indoor interviews. I really love a deep focus at times in narratives when you can really make the background work for you and meticulously create a composition that causes your eye to move across the frame. With indoor interviews however, often your background will be a wall, bookshelf, or something else un-interesting. I'd much rather have have those a bit out-of-focus (nothing extreme) so as not to emphasize them over the subject. In most cases we want the audience to be more focused on what the interview subject is saying over whatever is behind them at the moment.

On the 60D, try shooting in more of a mid shot (rather than a close-up) and use 18, 24, or 35mm lenses. This should keep the BG relatively sharp.
 
- Smaller sensor camera
- Smaller f/stop (Aperture)
- More light
- Higher ISO (if can't get more light instead)
- Wider lens
- Keep background closer to subject

These are all the basics of cinematography!
 
Try this alternative:
Canon T3i/660D
Tokina 11-16/2.8
Film in 3x crop (1:1) mode


Should be equivalent to shooting 1/2 inch chip --- deep dof
 
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